Yoán Moncada
{{short description|Cuban baseball player (born 1995)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{family name hatnote|Moncada|Olivera|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Yoán Moncada
|image = Red Sox prospect Yoan Moncada looks on from the dugout. (29997392685).jpg
|caption = Moncada with the Boston Red Sox in 2016
|width =
|team = Los Angeles Angels
|number = 5
|position = Third baseman
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|5|27}}
|birth_place = Abreus, Cuba
|bats = Switch
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = September 2
|debutyear = 2016
|debutteam = Boston Red Sox
|statyear = March 29, 2025
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .254
|stat3label = Home runs
|stat3value = 93
|stat4label = Runs batted in
|stat4value = 340
|teams =
- Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|2016}})
- Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|2017}}–{{mlby|2024}})
- Los Angeles Angels ({{mlby|2025}}–present)
| highlights =
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport | Men's baseball}}
{{MedalCountry | {{bb|CUB}}}}
{{MedalCompetition | 18U Baseball World Cup}}
{{MedalBronze | 2013 Taichung | Team}}
}}
Yoán Manuel Moncada Olivera (born May 27, 1995) is a Cuban professional baseball third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox. He made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2016, and was traded to the White Sox during the 2016–2017 offseason. He is one of the first active MLB players to represent the Cuban national team in international competition.
Professional career
=Elefantes de Cienfuegos=
Moncada made his debut for Cienfuegos of the Cuban National Series in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://oncubamagazine.com/sports/yoan-moncada-new-cuban-baseball-wonder-boy/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826174040/http://oncubamagazine.com/sports/yoan-moncada-new-cuban-baseball-wonder-boy/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 26, 2014|title=Yoan Moncada: the New Cuban Baseball Wonder Boy?|work=oncubamagazine.com|access-date=February 23, 2015}} In his two years with Cienfuegos he hit .277/.388/.380 with four home runs and 21 stolen bases. Moncada left Cuba in June 2014.{{cite web|title=Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada cleared for free agency - ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/11880509/cuban-prospect-yoan-moncada-cleared-free-agency|work=ESPN.com|date=November 15, 2014 |access-date=February 23, 2015}} Before signing with the Red Sox, Moncada was a highly sought after Cuban free agent. He was seen as a generational, five-tool talent, being compared to the likes of Robinson Canó.{{cite web|last=Pescaro |first=Mike |url=https://www.necn.com/news/sports/The-Cost-of-Winning-How-Yoan-Moncada-Could-Be-a-Steal-298732391.html |title=The Cost of Winning: How Yoan Moncada Could Be a Steal – NECN |publisher=Necn.com |date= April 6, 2015|accessdate=May 26, 2021}}
=Boston Red Sox=
==Minor leagues==
File:Yoan Moncada (27664890521) (cropped).jpg in 2016]]
On February 23, 2015, the Boston Red Sox reportedly agreed to terms with Moncada, for a signing bonus of $31.5 million.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/12368493/cuban-prospect-yoan-moncada-signs-boston-red-sox|title=Red Sox land Cuban IF prospect Moncada|date=February 23, 2015 |access-date=September 11, 2016}} The contract was finalized on March 12.{{cite web|url=http://nesn.com/2015/03/red-sox-sign-cuban-prospect-yoan-moncada-to-minor-league-contract/|title=Red Sox Sign Cuban Prospect Yoan Moncada To Minor League Contract (Photo)|date=March 13, 2015|access-date=September 11, 2016}} He made his professional debut with the Greenville Drive of the Class A South Atlantic League on May 18.{{cite web|title=Red Sox prospect Yoan Moncada debuts in Greenville|url=http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/baseball/greenville-drive/2015/05/18/yoan-moncada-boston-red-sox-prospect/27552289|access-date=September 11, 2016}} In the winter of 2015, he was consistently cited as one of the top prospects in the Red Sox system.
Entering the 2016 season, MLB.com, Baseball America, and Baseball Prospectus ranked Moncada as one of the seven best prospects in Major League Baseball.{{cite web|title=2016 Prospect Watch|url=https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/2016|website=MLB.com|publisher=MLB|access-date=April 16, 2016}}{{Cite web |title=Yoán Moncada Cuban, Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=moncad000joh |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}
==Major leagues==
Moncada was called up and made his major league debut on September 2, 2016, against the Oakland Athletics. In his first plate appearance, he walked and subsequently scored a run. He recorded his first major league hit the following day. Moncada finished the 2016 MLB season with a .211 batting average (4-for-19) with one RBI.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=moncad000joh|title=Yoan Moncada Register Statistics & History {{!}} Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=October 24, 2016}}
=Chicago White Sox=
File:Yoan Moncada (48026200548) (cropped).jpg
On December 6, 2016, the Red Sox traded Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Victor Diaz to the Chicago White Sox for Chris Sale.{{cite web|url=http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/210441104/chris-sale-traded-to-red-sox-for-yoan-moncada/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208135410/http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/210441104/chris-sale-traded-to-red-sox-for-yoan-moncada/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 8, 2016|title=White Sox get Moncada, 3 others for Sale|last=Merkin|first=Scott|work=MLB.com|date=December 6, 2016|access-date=December 6, 2016}}
Moncada began the 2017 season with the Charlotte Knights of the Triple-A International League. On July 19, 2017, he was called up after the trade of Todd Frazier to the New York Yankees. Later that day, he made his White Sox debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He worked a walk in his first at bat, against Kenta Maeda.{{cite web|title=White Sox stacked for future; Moncada up
|url=http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/243037532/white-sox-to-recall-top-prospect-yoan-moncada/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170719121113/http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/243037532/white-sox-to-recall-top-prospect-yoan-moncada/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 19, 2017|last=Merkin|first=Scott|work=MLB.com|date=July 19, 2017|access-date=July 19, 2017}}
On July 26, 2017, Moncada hit his first career major league home run off of Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs.{{Cite web |last=Merkin |first=Scott |date=July 27, 2017 |title=Yoan gone: Moncada hits homer No. 1 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/yoan-moncada-hits-first-mlb-home-run-c244698956 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} On August 25, he was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to shin issues.{{cite web|last1=Adler|first1=David|title=Yoan Moncada goes on DL|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/white-sox-place-yoan-moncada-on-disabled-list-c250541926|publisher=MLB|access-date=August 25, 2017}} He played 54 games in 2017, finishing year with a .231 batting average, 8 home runs, and 22 RBIs.
In 2018, Moncada played 149 games, finishing with a .235 batting average, 32 doubles, 17 home runs, 61 RBI, and struck out an MLB-leading 217 times. He had the lowest fielding percentage among major league second basemen, at .963.{{cite web|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=2b&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=0&season=2018&month=0&season1=2018&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=21,d |title=Major League Leaderboards » 2018 » Second Basemen » Fielding Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball |publisher=Fangraphs.com |date= |accessdate=May 26, 2021}}
In the 2019 campaign, Moncada set career highs in numerous batting areas, such as hits (161), doubles (34), home runs (25), RBI (79), and batting average (.315), among others, with his batting average ranking third in the American League.{{cite web|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=3b&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2019&month=0&season1=2019&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2019-01-01&enddate=2019-12-31&sort=13,d |title=Major League Leaderboards » 2019 » Third Basemen » Fielding Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball |publisher=Fangraphs.com |date= |accessdate=May 26, 2021}}
Overall, in 2020, Moncada batted .225 with six home runs and 24 RBI in 52 games.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/yoan-moncada-660162?stats=career-r-hitting-mlb&year=2020 |title=Yoán Moncada Stats, Fantasy & News |work=MLB.com |date= |accessdate=May 26, 2021}} In 2021, Moncada batted .263 with 14 home runs and 61 RBI across 144 games for Chicago.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=moncayo01&t=b&year=2021 |title=Yoán Moncada 2021 Batting Game Logs |publisher=baseball-reference |accessdate=January 29, 2022}}
Moncada began the 2022 season on the injured list with an oblique strain. On May 9, Moncada was activated off the IL and made his season debut that day against the Cleveland Guardians, going 1-for-4. In 104 total games, he batted .212/.273/.353 with 12 home runs and 51 RBI.{{Cite web|title=2022 White Sox in Review: Yoan Moncada|url=https://ontapsportsnet.com/mlb/chicago-white-sox-2022-roster-review-yoan-moncada-stats-injuries|access-date=September 24, 2024|website=ontapsportsnet.com}} Moncada made 92 appearances for the White Sox in 2023, slashing .260/.305/.425 with 11 home runs and 40 RBI.{{Cite web|title=Yoan Moncada 2023 batting Stats Per Game - MLB|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/33984/year/2023/category/batting|access-date=September 24, 2024|website=espn.com}}
On April 10, 2024, Moncada suffered a strained adductor while running to first base, and was ruled out for 3-to-6 months.{{Cite web|title=White Sox 3B Yoán Moncada could miss 6 months with severe leg injury sustained running to first base|url=https://apnews.com/article/yoan-moncada-white-sox-injury-1dcd4dc08f22dc62ba160fc2ac23c1d7|access-date=October 3, 2024|website=apnews.com}} He was activated from the injured list on September 16.{{cite web |title=White Sox's Yoan Moncada: Returns from 60-day IL |website=CBSSports.com |date=September 16, 2024 |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/white-soxs-yoan-moncada-returns-from-60-day-il/ |access-date=October 29, 2024}} In 12 total games for the White Sox, Moncada batted .275/.356/.400 with one stolen base. The White Sox declined his team option for 2025 on November 1, making him a free agent.{{Cite news|last=Merkin|first=Scott|title=White Sox decline options on Moncada, Stassi|url=https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/yoan-moncada-max-stassi-2025-options-declined-by-white-sox|work=MLB.com|date=November 1, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}}
=Los Angeles Angels=
On February 16, 2025, Moncada signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels.{{Cite news|last=Franco|first=Anthony|title=Angels Sign Yoan Moncada|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/angels-to-sign-yoan-moncada.html|work=MLBTradeRumors.com|date=February 11, 2025|access-date=February 16, 2025}}
International career
Moncada was named to the Cuban national team for 2023 World Baseball Classic. Along with White Sox teammate Luis Robert Jr., he became the first active MLB player to play for the Cuban national team.{{cite news |author1=James Wagner |title=Cuba's W.B.C. Team Is Notable for Who Is There, and Who Isn't |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/07/sports/baseball/cuba-world-baseball-classic.html |agency=The New York Times |date=March 9, 2023}} In the tournament, Moncada batted .435/.519/.739, with a team-leading 10 hits in 23 at-bats.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/stats/cuba/2023 |title=Stats - Cuba |website=MLB.com |access-date=March 20, 2023}}
Musical career
In 2021, Moncada recorded "Desastre Personal" with artists El Chacal and Lenier.{{Cite web |last=Bumbaca |first=Chris |date=February 17, 2021 |title=Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada releases single 'Desastre Personal' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/whitesox/2021/02/17/yoan-moncada-song-desastre-personal/6788298002/ |access-date=May 26, 2021 |work=USA Today}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
{{Baseballstats|mlb=660162|espn=33984|br=m/moncayo01|fangraphs=sa864590|brm=moncad000joh|retro=M/Pmoncy001}}
- [http://www.perlavision.icrt.cu/index.php/deportes/beisbol/5014-joan-manuel-moncada-un-prospecto-del-beisbol-cienfueguero Joan Manuel Moncada, a prospect of Cienfuegos Baseball] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208122354/http://www.perlavision.icrt.cu/index.php/deportes/beisbol/5014-joan-manuel-moncada-un-prospecto-del-beisbol-cienfueguero |date=February 8, 2015 }}
{{Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Award}}
{{Cuba roster 2023 World Baseball Classic}}
{{2023 World Baseball Classic All WBC Team}}
{{Los Angeles Angels roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moncada, Yoán}}
Category:Arizona Complex League White Sox players
Category:Boston Red Sox players
Category:Charlotte Knights players
Category:Chicago White Sox players
Category:Cuban expatriate baseball players in the United States
Category:Elefantes de Cienfuegos players
Category:Greenville Drive players
Category:Los Angeles Angels players
Category:Major League Baseball infielders
Category:Major League Baseball players from Cuba
Category:21st-century Cuban sportsmen
Category:People from Abreus, Cuba
Category:Baseball players from Cienfuegos Province
Category:Portland Sea Dogs players
Category:Salem Red Sox players